Community gets voice in Nashville schools director hunt
Parents and teachers will have another chance to say what they'd like in the search for Nashville's next director of schools.
The Nashville Public Education Foundation has created a nine-question survey that will be sent out to the community in the hopes of gaining additional feedback on what are the desired characteristics for Metro Nashville Public Schools' next superintendent.
The education foundation is co-chairman — along with Mayor Megan Barry's office — of a task force hoping to help steer the district's next search for a leader.
"All of (this) is with an eye to making this a true citywide search to find someone amazing," said Shannon Hunt, foundation president. "Part of that is understanding the view of those on the front line."
Metro Schools will help send out the survey to teachers through an email and also send home fliers in multiple languages next week to parents about the survey. The survey is also available in five languages, including Spanish and Arabic.
The survey covers a variety of topics, such as the type of challenges facing Nashville and what characteristics are needed in a new leader.
The district is searching for a replacement to retired Director of Schools Jesse Register, who left the district June 30.
The Metro Schools Board of Education's first search for a director ended in failure, with neighboring Williamson County Schools Director Mike Looney declining the position. During that search, the board's search firm also sent out to a survey to community members.
And in November, the board launched its next effort with the creation of a 17-member director search advisory committee that hopes to answer three questions that will guide the district's next search.
To take the survey, visit nashvillepef.org/director-survey/.
Reach Jason Gonzales at 615-259-8047 and on Twitter @ByJasonGonzales.